Noe Valley Voice June 1999
RETURN TO HOME PAGE
FEEDBACK

History Day Celebration in June

By Mark Robinson

Once upon a time in Noe Valley...the No. 11 streetcar ran down 24th Street. The Noe movie house occupied the spot where Just for Fun now stands. Chocolate eclairs with real whipped cream cost 5 cents at Plate's Bakery.

Those are just a few of the memories that will be on display at the annual Noe Valley History Day, June 26, from 1 to 5 p.m., at the Noe Valley Library on Jersey Street. Sponsored by the East & West of Castro Street Improvement Club and the Friends of Noe Valley, the "nostalgic look back" will feature old photos, newspaper clippings, and other artifacts culled from the Noe Valley Archives, plus a videotaped interview with Tillie Smith, a survivor of the 1906 earthquake.

"The younger people should be apprised of what the neighborhood was like," says Paul Kantus, president of the East & West of Castro Club. Kantus, 73, has lived in the same house at Douglass and 21st streets since his birth in 1926.

By sharing the history, he hopes to encourage residents to preserve the neighborhood's character. Organizers are also inviting people to scour their attics and basements for items that might be of interest to future generations. The artifacts can be donated to the Noe Valley Archives, housed at the library. (Give Kantus a call at 647-3753.)

Besides the historical display, the event will include free refreshments and special activities for kids. The Flying Calamari Brothers will perform a magic show at 1:30 p.m., and folksinger Bruce Sherman will entertain at 2:30 p.m. For more information, call the Noe Valley ­ Sally Brunn Library at 695-5095. The branch is located at 451 Jersey St. near Castro. (The 24 trolley stops a block and a half away.)